Burned body found near Tesla that caught on fire, nearby building also damaged in Valley Village
A burned body was found near a parked Tesla that burst into flames in Valley Village Monday night.
Are Tesla fires common? Not nearly as much as you think.
VALLEY VILLAGE, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A burned body was found near a Tesla that burst into flames on Monday night.
The fire was reported in Valley Village, and a witness who was nearby said he heard what sounded like a loud gunshot or explosion.
"I heard what sounded like a really loud gunshot or maybe a bomb or an explosion," said Alan Wohl, who works near where the fire occurred. "It got me out of my seat I mean it sort of was loud enough to shake a bit. One very large boom, really loud noise, could've been a gunshot, like I said, could've been an explosion of some sort."
The fire was reported around 9 p.m. on Monday. When Eyewitness News arrived at the scene Tuesday afternoon, the charred out Tesla was gone, but the burned parking spot and wall of the business next door remained.
The LAPD says the fire was accidental and their investigation is ongoing.
"While the extinguishment was taking place, it was discovered we found one individual who was outside the vehicle that's now been pronounced as deceased," said Rick Crawford, an LAFD Battalion Chief.
No one at the building where the fire happened would speak with Eyewitness News, and it is still unclear how the fire started.
However, while electric vehicle fires commonly make headlines, they are relatively rare.
An analysis of federal data by "Auto insurance EZ," published last year, found that hybrid cars had the most fires per 100,000 sales, at about 3,500. Followed by gas cars at 1,500 per 100,000, and then electric cars, at just 25 per 100,000 sales.
The identity of the deceased has yet to be released.
Source: KABC-TV
